The kayak consists of 28 separate sections joined together with machined bolts and a bit of silicon. It’s water tight and actually floats. It took 42 days to print at a cost of around $500. But this wasn’t done on a Makerbot, but rather a large-scale home-brew 3D printer with a heated printing chamber to ensure the parts didn’t warp or crack during printing.

As the cost of 3D printing decreases, more uses will appear. A 3D printed couch. A 3D printed snow shovel. There could even be a time when it makes more sense for a consumer to print a toothbrush rather than buying one at a store.